Hydrogen fuel cell cars are electric cars, where the fuel cell serves as the battery. So the hydrogen, electric, and battery cars are all electric vehicles, while the gas and diesel cars are petroleum powered. * Gasoline is not efficient (maybe 15% efficient in traffic), and it is not clean. Since it takes about 6 kilowatt-hours of energy just to refine a gallon of gasoline or diesel, and this energy alone could power an EV 20 to 30 miles all by itself, it is quite impossible to build an gas powered vehicle more efficient than an electric vehicle - the EV has already driven to it's destination on the energy you used just to make your gasoline. * This leaves the contest between hydrogen fuel cells and batteries. Unfortunately, hydrogen is not really a fuel - it is like the lithium in a lithium battery - it is just part of a chemical system for storing energy. * Energy is stored by separating hydrogen from water - and energy is then released by combining hydrogen with oxygen to make electricity in the car, creating water again. This is a reversible chemical process, exactly how a battery works. The energy does not come from hydrogen, typically it comes from the electricity used to separate hydrogen. The hydrogen stores the electricity, just like a battery does. * But the hydrogen cycle I have described is much less efficient than other battery technologies. So battery powered EVs are the most energy efficient.
Electric and battery are effectively the same thing, as you store the electricity in a rechargeable battery. This is most efficient, with over 90% of input energy being available for driving the car. The range issues are over stated. Charge as you drive options are possible once enough cars are on the road. Given that hydrogen is only an energy carrier not a source of energy, it is less efficient than electric. In order of efficiency: Electric [battery], Hydrogen[fuel cell], Diesel, Petrol, Hydrogen ICE. in terms of eco friendly: Electric [battery], Diesel, Hydrogen[fuel cell], Petrol, Hydrogen I Because of the complexity of infrastructure required to distribute the hydrogen.
Hydrogen you can install a hydrogen on demand generator on any gas or diesel engine. This is the most cost effective thing to do right now it adds Hp reduces es emissions increased gas mileage 20 to 60% or better.
Electric cars are very efficient. The Volt is a very interesting hybride. It can get 32 on electric only, and an additional 300 miles on gasoline powered generater using on 1.4 gallons of gasoline.
